Hi! Emma here with our weekly edition of Tidal Tuesdays! As we should all know by now, Marine Bio is my special interest! So today I am going to be talking about sea otters! These lovely creatures are a favourite of many! Thirteen different species exist around the globe, the U.S. is home to two species: the otter and the North American river otter. Other species worldwide include, Giant Otter, African Clawless Otter, Asian Small-clawed Otter, Congo Clawless Otter, Eurasian Otter, Hairy-nosed Otter, Marine Otter, Neotropical Otter, Smooth-coated Otter, Southern River Otter, and the Spotted-necked Otter.
Some more facts!
1.) The sea otter is the largest member of the weasel family, yet it is the smallest marine mammal in North America.
2.) Approximately 90 percent of the world's sea otters live in costal Alaska.
3.) After being hunted to the edge of extinction by fur traders in the 18th and 19th centuries, the few remaining otters were first protected by the International Fur Seal Treaty in 1911, then they later received additional protections with the Marine Mammal Prtection Act and the Endangered Species Act in the 1970s.
4.) Sea otters eat 25 percent of their body weight in food everyday. Their diet consists of sea urchins, crabs, mussels, and claims, which they're well known for cracking open with a rock and eating while floating in the water.
5.) They have the thickest fur of any animal, it contains between 600,00 to 1,000,000 hair follicles per swuare inch. Unlike other marine mammals, otters lack a blubber layer.
6.) An otters lung capacity is 2.5 times greater than that of similar-sized land mammals, they have been known to stay submerged for more than 5 minutes at a time. River otters can hold their breath for up to 8 minutes.
And that is it!
If you want more interesting information, or just want to see my sources, check the links below!
1.) 12 facts about sea otters.
2.) 13 Otter Species
3.) Animals A to Z~Sea Otter
And lastly, to support The recovery of Sea Otters in their natual North Pacific habitats, a donation site! Sea Otter Fund
2.) 13 Otter Species
3.) Animals A to Z~Sea Otter
And lastly, to support The recovery of Sea Otters in their natual North Pacific habitats, a donation site! Sea Otter Fund